


Lights Out, Words Gone

by ambpersand



Series: Echoes of Mine [2]
Category: Hunger Games (2012), Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Odesta, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-01-03
Updated: 2013-01-19
Packaged: 2017-11-23 12:04:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/621931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ambpersand/pseuds/ambpersand
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They call her "Crazy Cresta," but she's the only girl to stop Finnick Odair in his tracks.</p><p>This is a short narrative of the relationship that develops between Finnick Odair and Annie Cresta in the "Echoes of Mine" universe. Begins parallel to Chapter 8 in EoM.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part One

            Annie trailed her fingertips lightly over the surface of the furniture as she walked along the edge of the room. Finnick had been trailing her all night, offering her sweet smiles and constant attention despite the tremendous amount of people that kept stopping by to say hello. Each time he greeted them warmly, chatting for a few minutes and wrapping it up quickly.

            He thought she didn’t notice his change in demeanor, but she did. His shoulders were tense around her; his fingers would fiddle nervously by his side as he tried to make conversation. His tone was low and light, as if he was trying to persuade a scared animal into interaction.

            But she was no scared animal.

            Annie remembered all too well the first night she met Finnick. Watching as he tried to charm Katniss with his well-practiced smile and warm laugh, she was curious why he was hanging around a bunch of drug dealers. It wasn’t until she caught the angry glint in his eye when Clove had been heckling her that she’d decided that maybe he was more than a shameless flirt.

            It was easy enough to stand quietly as he asked her if she was okay, taking the time to appraise him as he stumbled over his words to make sure Clove hadn’t been too harsh. He was a curious person, and she kept asking herself… _Why?_

When Gale had invited her tonight, she’d been hesitant. Who wouldn’t be? Her initial reaction had been a quick refusal, wanting to spend as much time in her plant room as possible.

            But after hiding away for a day or two, tending to her plants under the bright UV lights, her mind began to wander back to Finnick and his strange behavior.

            It hadn’t taken him long to find her once she entered the party.

            When he had offered her a drink, she shook her head silently, not bothering to voice her decline. Then, as he mentioned giving her a tour of the townhouse, she narrowed her eyes and lifted an eyebrow.

            He sputtered at her reaction, quickly apologizing. “No, no- I swear I didn’t mean anything by that. I just- I thought maybe you might want to look around.”  His ears grew red and she had to suppress her smile.

            Answering with a quiet “Okay,” She nodded her head and began to walk through the various rooms, Finnick trailing closely behind her.

            Now as she walked through the second floor, the space was finally quiet. He still followed, trying to start conversations periodically with compliments on her dress, or thanking her for coming to his party.

            “Are you sure I can’t get you a drink? There’s a full bar downstairs…” Finnick trailed off, although he had long since abandoned his own drink. She had a feeling he was only offering to make sure she felt included in the party. While she had simply shaken her head at his previous offers, this time she spoke.

            “I can’t,” She turned around, facing him fully. “Unless you want me passed out and drooling on the carpet.”

            A shocked look crossed his face and he struggled to respond, which caused laughter to bubble up her throat. “It’s my medication,” She clarified, smiling to herself.

            Turning back around, she moved along to inspect a shadow box that had been hung on the wall. It was filled with various nautical items, but most of all it showcased an impressive selection of rope knots with small placards stating each type. Moving closer to see each one in detail, she heard Finnick clear his throat behind her.

            “Do you mind if I ask what kind of medication you’re on?” His voice was timid, as if it was taking all his bravery to ask such a personal question.

            Facing him once again, she crossed her arms. “I’m on a mixture of pills for depression and severe anxiety. I won’t bore you with the clinical names because I’m sure you won’t remember them.” She gauged his reaction closely, but didn’t spot any of the usual pity that she normally received when she explained her “condition.”

            She could register the curiosity that glinted in his eyes, and the understanding expression he held. After a moment of silence, he spoke. “And that’s what Clove was talking about? Calling you crazy because you take medication?”

            “No,” Annie laughed; surprised that she was able to so easily. Laughter came rarely. “She calls me Crazy Cresta because I _am_ crazy.”

            Finnick’s eyebrows knitted in confusion as he sat on the plush couch that was stationed in the center of the room. “You don’t look crazy to me.” He looked straight into her eyes, which he had yet to do that night.

            The feeling of his intense stare caused her skin to tingle, but she enjoyed the strange new sensation. Her footsteps led her to the opposite side of the couch, sitting down and pulling her legs in underneath her body before she answered. “Maybe not as much now, but I was.” She looked down at her hands and fiddled with the hem of her dress, pulling it tight across her knees.

            Angling his body towards hers but keeping his distance, he wasn’t sure whether or not to push the topic. Although he was curious, the last thing he wanted to do was cross a line and scare her away.

            Her sharp tone interrupted his inner debate. “If you want to know, you need to ask,” She lifted an eyebrow at him, similar to the way she had earlier in the evening- except her expression was warm and playful.

            “What happened?” He coughed out the question quickly, afraid that if he didn’t he would lose his courage.

            Annie’s eyes traveled around the room, focusing on a bare spot on the wall. Her gaze was blank as she began telling the story. “My parents divorced when I was young, and when I was 10 my mother remarried. My stepfather soon moved in with us and my mom was gone a lot, so it was just the two of us more often than not.”

            Her gaze moved to Finnick, holding his gaze steadily as she continued on. “By the time I was 12, he was beating me on a regular basis. Each night he would force me to stand in the middle of the living room while he beat me with various objects and listed off the ways that I was a failure to him and my mother.” Her voice was detached, completely unemotional at the story she was telling. Finnick’s first instinct was to crawl beside her and wrap his arms around her fragile body, but he resisted.

            Keeping his eyes locked with hers, he nodded for her to continue.

            “My mom never knew, and he always hit me in places that the bruises wouldn’t show. He would heckle me for being too fat or ugly, and complain about how stupid I was. One morning, when I was 15, I found him passed out on the living room couch trying to sleep off a hangover. I don’t know why, but I walked into the kitchen and found the largest knife we had. I stabbed him three times in the leg before he managed to throw me off.”

            Finnick’s eyes were wide and his body grew cold at her words, but she kept on.

            “I grabbed my bag and walked out the door. I showed up at school late after walking 10 blocks, still covered in his blood. They escorted me to the police station where I told them everything. I sat there and explained the five years of abuse and the nightly beatings; I showed them my bruises and realized that I had done it because it was the only way I thought I could make him stop. When the police showed up at the hospital later that morning, he didn’t deny the charges. I’ve been in therapy ever since.”

            Finnick was frozen; how was he supposed to respond to that?

            Annie offered him a sad smile. “That’s why Clove calls me ‘Crazy Cresta.’ She and I went to the same school; she was in my class that morning when I showed up.”

            Blinking rapidly, he scooted closer to her, unable to keep himself farther. “Are you this way with everyone? I mean- That sounded weird, I’m sorry.”

            “If you mean honest, yes, I am. I recognize what happened and own up to what I did. There’s no changing the past so I don’t see why I should lie or hide what happened to me,” Annie shrugged. “What he did caused me more emotional trauma than physical and one day I snapped. I don’t remember feeling anything when I did it; I was completely numb. I remember thinking that it was do or die. One day he would have beaten me until I died from internal bleeding or he would have turned on my mother. I can’t escape what happened so I don’t hide from it, either.”

            “You’re amazing,” Finnick said breathlessly, running a hand through his tousled locks. Although her story was intimidating, his curiosity over her won out.

            She tilted her head. “You mean you’re not freaked out?”

            Laughing, he shook his head. “Oh, like hell I am. But that’s not important,” He smiled widely.  “Tell me something. About you, I mean.”

            “I just did,” Annie’s eyebrows furrowed, confused.

            “No,” Finnick hesitantly rested his hand on top of hers, stilling her from rolling the fabric of her dress between her fingers. “You told me about your past. Tell me something about _yourself_ _._ Who are you _now?_ ”

            She took in his words, the silence stretching into minutes. He waited patiently, not moving his hand from hers.

            “No,” Her tone was sharp, surprising Finnick with her sudden change in demeanor. “It’s your turn.”

            When he didn’t answer, she let her gaze drop to his hand, either to remove it or a challenge that she would pull away if he didn’t say something … She wasn’t even sure.

            “You could start by telling me why you live in this expensive townhouse all by yourself. Or you could tell me how many girls you’ve slept with. I know there are probably a few at this party, judging by the glares I got when you followed me up here.” A hint of a smile played on her lips, and Finnick was dumbstruck. He couldn’t get a handle on her.

            “Well, I guess that’s fair…” His words caught in his throat as Annie turned her hand over underneath his and began to lightly graze her fingers against his palm, just as she had done to the furniture when she walked through his house. Struggling to continue, he focused his mind elsewhere. “There are a few, I’ll admit. None were serious.”

            Her skin felt like satin against his hand, her cool fingertips drawing invisible designs that had him fighting to keep still. He glanced back at her, and she paused her movements.

            Realizing he didn’t want her to stop, he began talking rapidly. “I live here by myself because my parents don’t want me around,” His voice softened, but he continued. “My family owns a company that manufactures high end yachts. It’s always been the family plan to have me take over the business one day, but I never wanted to. After some stuff happened during my senior year of high school, they sent me to live here. I think they hope that I’ll get over what happened while I’m here and they can resume their plan.”

            “What happened?” She moved her fingers around to the top of his hand, never stilling her movements.

            The sensation had his entire body relaxing, and he realized he would be content if she never stopped. Not just because it felt wonderful, but because the feeling of her skin against his felt strangely _right._

            “They wouldn’t stop hounding me about my priorities and the responsibility to the family business. I tried to make it clear that it’s not what I wanted, but they didn’t listen. So, I did what I could to mess things up,” He tried to refrain from smiling at the memories, but couldn’t hold it back. The stupidity of the idea was unimaginable, but had seemed genius to his 18 year old mind. “When I was 18, I decided to seduce every woman in the office I could. If I couldn’t do that, I would flirt with them until it bordered on sexual harassment. My dad went through six secretaries before finally doing something about it.”

            “Six?” Her eyes were wide. “What did he do?”

            The smile fell from his face as he remembered his father’s outburst at him. “He barred me from the office and didn’t speak to me for months. It was easy to do that though, when he worked all the time. The day I graduated he finally spoke to me again, and all he said was ‘You’re going to the townhouse tomorrow and you’ve got four years to get this shit out of your system. By the time you get your degree you better have your head on straight or else you’ll be out on the streets.’ The next day, I was moving in here by myself; didn’t even get to spend the summer at home.” He sighed, sadness filling his eyes.

            Now, Annie shared the knowledge of his exile with only Peeta and Marvel. It was a foreign feeling to tell someone so new about his past.

            It was only fair, right?

             Annie stayed quiet, her only reaction was a light squeeze to his forearm before resuming her invisible patterns. Somehow that was enough for him; the last thing he wanted was pity. Her understanding was enough.

            “I like botany,” She said nonchalantly, changing the subject easily. Finnick was glad; he’d rather not linger on the negatives in either of their lives. “I started after my therapist told me I should find a hobby to keep me busy. I don’t think he meant for me to do what I’m doing, though…” The slight smile was back again, playing at her lips and lighting up her features.

            He rested his cheek against the back of the sofa, its plush surface cushioning his face as he took in Annie’s features for the umpteenth time that night. Her hair hung in waves around her face, flowing over her shoulders and down her back like a dark waterfall. When her eyes flickered up to his, her eyes shone like emeralds, framed by long, thick lashes. He could tell she wasn’t wearing makeup; her skin was flawless like porcelain without it. To anyone else, her features would have been plain and unremarkable, but to him the simplicity was perfect. He’d had enough of the tactics other girls tried in order to look “exotic,” but they always ended up looking like clowns.

            His gaze traveled down to her dress, the dark purple color standing out against her pale skin and reflecting off the green in her eyes.

            She began laughing, interrupting him as his eyes snapped back up to her face. “Having fun?” His cheeks flushed, he hadn’t noticed the silence; being in her presence felt natural, like he didn’t have to fill the void with meaningless chatter like other girls preferred.

            “I shouldn’t laugh… I have a bad reputation for inappropriate reactions,” Despite her apology, her giggles continued. “I like the way you look, too.”

            Her awareness baffled him; usually he was the one with the keen instinct to know what others were thinking.

            Before he could respond, muffled voices floated through the window on the opposite wall, where it was open to let the night breeze in. Whoever it was, they were shouting from the patio below, oblivious to the fact that they had an audience. Annie stilled, her movements freezing as she listened in.

            A concerned look covered her face and she stood, slowly walking towards the window to clarify what they were hearing. Suddenly she stuck her fingers in her ears, and backed away towards the door.

            Finnick stood quickly and rushed to her side, alarmed at what was going on. Hesitantly he placed his hands on either side of her face and her eyes found his. The position was strangely intimate, but he was at a loss for words. He didn’t even know what was going on, let alone how he should console her.       Pulling her body into his, he began to draw invisible designs on her back, identical to the way she had done to him. Her muscles were tense, but softened at his actions although she kept her fingers firmly in her ears.

            They stood together for several minutes until Finnick heard the shouting cease, turning his body slightly to make sure it was quiet. Annie sensed his actions and lifted her head from his chest, slowly lowering her hands. She was trembling, but her voice was steady.

            “Are they done?”

            “Yeah,” He nodded, realizing that it was the shouting and the sounds of the fight from outside that had panicked her. Pausing his hands on her back, he was unsure of whether or not to let her go. When she rested her hands on his chest it felt like he had been shocked, his breath becoming shallow.

            Annie smiled slightly at his reaction and pushed herself away, turning away slightly. “I’m sorry,” She apologized, not bothering to compose herself. “That happens.”

            She offered no other explanation.

            Finnick ran his hand through his hair, the scent of her coconut shampoo still lingering around him. He immediately missed the warmth of her body against his own.

            “Thank you,” Her voice was barely above a whisper as her eyes focused on the floor. Before he could respond, she continued. “I should go.”

            “I’ll walk you out,” Finnick suggested as she turned and walked towards the door, panicking at her sudden interest in leaving.

            Annie turned and stopped him, resting her hand on his chest. “No, that’s okay.”

            “Can I see you again?” He hoped he didn’t sound too desperate.

            She smiled, a genuine one that made Finnick’s chest feel tight. She had the same reaction when his mirrored hers; happiness swelling in her stomach at the thought of seeing him. She wasn’t sure why, she usually shied away from people… Especially those she didn’t know. After tonight could she really say she didn’t know him, though?

            It was as if someone had placed a magnet in her chest, filling her with an undeniable pull towards his body. She grasped his shirt between her fingers, pulling herself as close against his body as she could. The feeling of his solid frame, built with hard muscle and strong arms that automatically wrapped around her, was like a drug to her. The faint hint of sandalwood and Old Spice on his body was intoxicating, her eyes fluttering shut for a moment as she took a deep breath.

            Despite the height difference, Annie stood on her toes and reached behind Finnick’s neck, threading her slim fingers through his hair and pulling him down to press her lips against his.

            He inhaled sharply, instinctively drawing tightening his grip on her and eagerly returning her kiss. As she moved her lips softly against his he couldn’t help the growl that escaped from his throat.

            The sound encouraged Annie, moving her other hand up to his jaw as she languidly trailed her tongue across his bottom lip. He willingly obliged, deepening the kiss. When he took her bottom lip between his teeth she moaned softly, almost instantly feeling him grow hard against her stomach.

            She pulled away slowly, taking in Finnick’s flushed neck and reddened lips. He was dumbstruck, staring at her with a dazed but contented look on his face. Pressing a soft kiss to his lips, she pushed his body away from hers and walked from the room with a wide smile. 


	2. Part Two

            Two days later, Annie stood in front of Finnick’s townhouse, debating on whether or not she should ring the doorbell. She pulled her cardigan tight around her shoulders, the morning breeze cold against her skin.

            Maybe she shouldn’t have come so early.

            Taking a deep breathe, she steeled herself and pressed the small white button, the muffled tones from the doorbell echoing through the front door. When there was no answer, she pressed it again, peering into the small windows beside the door to see if she could spot anyone.

            No one was coming, but she stepped back to wait for another minute just in case.

            It was, after all, 7 AM on Monday morning.

            Suddenly the door was thrown open and Finnick stood, rubbing his eyes tiredly. Annie’s eyes widened at the sight of him clad only in a pair of blue boxers, his muscular body on display. His abs tightened as he stretched, yawning loudly. He froze when he opened his eyes fully and saw who was standing before him.

            “Annie?” He looked shocked.

            “Hi,” She said distractedly, unable to keep her eyes from roaming his body.

            Immediately his cheeks were red, embarrassed to be standing in front of her half naked. Usually he was no stranger to stripping down while at parties, but he was strangely nervous under her appreciative gaze.

            “You said you wanted to see me again,” Her eyes finally came up to meet his.

            “It’s uh, seven in the morning…” He trailed off, confused. Conflicted, he was elated to open his door and see the girl he had been previously been dreaming about standing in front of him. But the situation was baffling nonetheless.

            “I brought food,” She tentatively raised a bag to his attention, hoping he would invite her in.

            Almost instantly, he came to his senses. “Oh god, what am I doing? Come in!” He ushered her in through the door, mentally slapping himself for making her stand there. As he struggled to find something to say as they stood in the entryway, she turned and walked away, completely comfortable in his house.

            Quickly Finnick ducked into the small guest bathroom off the hallway, searching frantically through the drawers. Digging through the contents, he pulled out a tube of toothpaste that was left by Marvel after a weeklong stay months prior. He squeezed a small amount on to his tongue and on to his teeth to get rid of his morning breath before rushing back out to find Annie.

            He found her in the kitchen, placing her purse on the countertop next to the bag of food that she had carried in. “Well, I didn’t sleep much last night, so I usually bake when that happens. I made a lot this morning, so I hope you like-”

            “Annie,” Finnick interrupted, standing close behind her. There was just enough room for her to turn her body to face his before he closed the gap and threaded a hand through her hair. The other fell to her waist, pulling her body tight against his own. She inhaled sharply, grasping his arms tightly.

            He pressed his lips firmly to hers, unable to hold back. When she whimpered against him and moved her hands to his chest to feel the muscles there, Finnick couldn’t help but smile into the kiss. Working her lips against his own, he lightly nudged hers open to gain access into her mouth. Their tongues danced together and he nipped at her bottom lip lightly, just as he had done the night of his party. Her reaction was identical, the light moan coming out as a faint whisper.

            The sound encouraged him further, trailing both hands down her body, relishing the feel of her curves underneath the thin material of her dress.

            He was very appreciative that she only seemed to wear dresses.

            Not breaking the kiss, he wrapped one arm around her waist and looped the other hand around her thigh, pulling her up against him into order to set her on the counter.

            Annie squealed at suddenly being picked up and deposited on the cold granite surface, but couldn’t deny that the elevation made it easier to kiss him. They were at eye level now, their lips working together in perfect rhythm.

            Finnick broke away to trail soft kisses along her jaw, inhaling the same coconut scent that had haunted him for the last two days.

            “ _Good Morning_ ,” He spoke huskily into her ear before kissing it and nipping the lobe with his teeth. She gasped and pressed against him, suddenly very aroused. The warmth spread through her core as his lips traveled down her neck, pausing at her collarbone to lick and nip at the sensitive skin.

            “Good Morning…” Annie gasped, involuntarily pressing herself even tighter against him as her head lolled back to give him better access to her neck.

            When he returned to her lips and cradled her face in his hands, Annie mimicked his actions, taking his bottom lip between her teeth and pulling lightly, effectively cutting off their kiss as she leaned back.

            His eyes, now reflecting more blue than green, were filled with an intensity that made her chest tighten. Her hands, which had been roaming his muscular chest, now settled on his shoulders lightly as she forced the giddy feeling from her stomach.

            “Go get dressed.”

            She pushed him away lightly, hopping off the counter and straightening her dress. Finnick was at a loss; a ghost of a smile played on her lips, still red and plump from his kisses. It took every ounce of restraint he had not to pick her back up and place her on the counter once more.

            Annie turned and walked away, her body language instantly concealing the attraction Finnick was positive she felt. But if he were to judge by the way she was acting now, he’d assume nothing had even happened.

            Frustration grew inside of him. Every time he became comfortable with her, Annie did something to throw him off, spinning him into another direction. He could barely see straight around her.

            She began humming quietly to herself as she finished unpacking the food she brought, searching through cabinets to find what she needed without asking for his help.

            Shaking his head, he forced his body to move. Maybe going upstairs to get dressed would be a good idea. _I need to get my shit together,_ he thought as he went to his room, taking the stairs two at a time.

            As he stood in his closet, his frustration grew and he ran his hands down his face. Hung up in front of him were thousands of dollars’ worth of clothing, all designer made and tailored to fit him perfectly.

            Nothing seemed _right._

            “Fuck,” Finnick groaned. This was getting old, fast.

            Pulling a plain white V-neck t-shirt roughly from its hanger, he tossed in over his shoulder quickly.  A pair of khaki shorts soon followed before walking from his closet and into the adjoining bathroom to his room.

            “Fuck,” He repeated again as he took in his reflection in the mirror. His blonde hair was sticking up at odd angles and its natural waves were mostly flattened; whether from sleeping on it or Annie running her hands through it, he wasn’t sure. _Probably both_.

            Finnick grabbed his toothbrush and turned the water on in the shower, trying to do several things at once to save time. As he scrubbed his teeth after finding his toothpaste, he stripped off his boxers and climbed into the shower, ignoring the half-erection he was still sporting from the events in the kitchen.

            He rushed through his shower routine, doing so in half the time it usually took. When he stepped out and into the fog filled bathroom, he realized he was shaking.

            _What the hell?_ He thought as he looked at his trembling hands. She really had thrown him for a loop. _Who shows up on someone’s doorstep at seven in the morning? On a_ Monday _?_

Annie.

            Even the image of her standing outside, clutching her green sweater around her shoulders, was enough to make him smile widely. He’d stumbled out of bed, angry at whoever had the audacity to ring his doorbell multiple times so early in the morning. As he had rubbed his eyes, trying to focus on who it was, the anger melted away quickly when he realized it was her. In a matter of seconds, it had been replaced completely with a mixture of surprise, happiness, and confusion.

            Even away from her now, he was still reeling.

            He purposefully took his time drying off, trailing the towel over his body as he tried to figure out what it was about Annie Cresta that made him so anxious.

            She wasn’t drop dead gorgeous like the models he’d hung out with at company parties, or even the rich girls like Glimmer that groomed themselves perfect. _No,_ he thought, _she’s plain._

But even Finnick Odair, used to a life of riches and beauty, could find no fault in the simplicity of Annie’s looks.

            Her body was petite, and her skin pale. The mass of dark hair that hung in waves was always taunting him, looking even darker against her alabaster complexion and making him crave to touch it. He’d never had an interest in girls like her; always preferring them fit and tanned, with legs that went on for days.

            Annie most definitely wasn’t that either.

            Replaying the scene in his head, he remembered the night they met and the surprise he felt when he noticed when she hadn’t even been bothered by Clove’s insults. All she had done was stand in her spot silently as if there was no one else in the room but her.

            _Any girl I know would have thrown a bitch fit…_ He almost laughed sardonically, having been witness to more than enough rich girl tantrums to last him a lifetime.

            Then, as she’d listened quietly as he’d asked if she was okay, it was one of the few times in his life that he’d ever been genuinely nervous around a girl. The air of confidence he’d inherited from his father usually got him far, but Annie’s unresponsiveness to his attention had thrown him.

            Sure, there had been girls to downright ignore him or rebut his advances or attention, but it hadn’t seemed like Annie could even _hear_ him.

            He had grown worried that there might _actually_ be something wrong with her until he offered to get her out of there and away from Clove when she narrowed her eyes at him, snapping out a stiff “No,” before striding away.

            That definitely wasn’t a reaction he’d ever received before.

            Finnick was fully dressed now, wiping the remaining fog off the mirror as he finished getting ready. His mind moved on to the party, when he felt like an idiot wandering around after her. If it weren’t for the strange panic he felt at the thought of leaving her side, he would have. She was an enigma, pulling him in with something that he could only compare to gravity.

            _Maybe it’s just curiosity._

That’s what he’d told himself after she opened up about her past, leaving him with an ache in his chest for her. He knew he should have been terrified, he knew he should have ran when he had the chance, but something had stopped him.

            He couldn’t blame curiosity on the way his body reacted to hers, though. It was like he was a teenager again; whenever she touched him his body felt light as air and as hot as fire.

            Now, as she stood down in his kitchen in the early hours of the morning, he was still grasping for a hold on her.

            His body was a mixture of nerves and eagerness, torn in two directions. Half of him was anxious like a middle school boy before his first date; the other half impatient to return to her side.

            As he made his way back into the kitchen, Annie didn’t acknowledge his presence. She sat on a barstool against the counter, staring through the window above the sink, as still as a statue.

            Finnick moved over to where she had laid out the food, an impressive array of cookies, brownies, fettuccini, and fried chicken. He was stunned. _Did she really make all this?_

“I didn’t sleep much last night,” She said, startling him from his confusion.

            “Did you sleep at _all?_ ” He asked, incredulous.

            Annie shrugged. “Some,” Her gaze resumed to its spot out the window, nonchalant as ever.

            Finnick raised an eyebrow, curious. “Does that happen a lot?”

            Instead of answering, she slid from the stool and grabbed one of the plates she set out. She placed several items on it she spoke without sparing him a glance.

            “You smell good.”

            Finnick couldn’t help the smile that broke out across his face. He refrained himself from pulling her into his arms, knowing that he might not be able to keep his lips off hers if he did.

            She left him standing there alone, leaving the room with her food. Before she stepped through the doorway, she stopped and spun around.           

            “I don’t eat breakfast foods. I hope that’s okay,” Annie stated, her eyes clear and sparkling.

            _Well, that would explain the strange food at 7 AM…_ Finnick smiled even wider. She was strange, and he couldn’t believe how much he was growing to like it.

 

            The two spent the day on his couch, eating the food she had prepared and watching movies together.

            Annie was curled up at the end of the sofa, tucked into herself with her arms wrapped around her body.  All day she had been careful not to touch Finnick, avoiding his body no matter how enticing he seemed to be. They sat in contented silence, save for the moments during the movies that Finnick would point out an obscure detail about an actor or the backstory. He’d seen all the movies, but she hadn’t seen one.

In the middle of their third movie, she had a sudden realization.     

            “Do you have class today?” She had all but forgotten he went to the university.

            Finnick shrugged, nibbling on a cookie. “Yeah,” He checked the time on his cell phone, “Two hours ago.”

            Her eyes grew wide. “Oh my god, Finnick… I’m so sorry!” She flew off the couch, scrambling to gather her things. She felt terrible for making him miss class. “I shouldn’t have come.”

            Finnick jumped up, rushing to her side and wrapping his hands around her shoulders to still her movements. “Annie,” He spoke calmly, moving his face directly in front of hers. “I didn’t even realize I had missed class until after it had already started. Even had I known I wouldn’t go because, no matter what, I’d rather be here doing this with you.”

            She looked away, her cheeks red. “Do you have any other classes today?” She was apprehensive if she should stay.

            When he denied that he didn’t, she narrowed her eyes at him.

            “No, I swear. I wouldn’t lie to you.” Surprising even himself, he was being entirely truthful. “I didn’t say anything about missing it because I didn’t want you to rush out and leave. I like you here.” He admitted, hating the fact that his ears were growing warm at his admission.

            Annie leaned back, her eyes still narrowed as she eyed him skeptically. She processed his words, seeing no reason why she _shouldn’t_ believe him.

            “Stay?” He asked, averting his eyes around, landing anywhere but on her. She could almost feel his nervousness, as if he was actually scared she’d simply walk out.

            The thought crossed her mind, _I could leave. I wonder what he would do…_

            She stopped pondering when he finally looked at her, hope filling his eyes. It was enough to dissolve any desire she had to leave, planting her firmly there with him.

            At the slight nod of her head, his face lit up. Before she could stop him, he pulled her into his arms and spun her around, her feet lifting off the floor completely. When he finally set her down, she was dizzy enough to accept his sudden kiss, his lips pressing eagerly against hers.   

            Annie sighed, unable to keep her stomach from doing somersaults. As she returned the kiss, she realized that her attempts to stay tucked away at the opposite end of the couch were for naught.

            She couldn’t deny this.

            Finnick’s fingers trailed lightly up her sides, coming to rest at the base of her neck as he cradled her head in his hands. When he took her bottom lip between his teeth, she felt daring enough to push him back on to the couch.

            At the break in contact his face fell, full of assumption that she didn’t want him to continue. Instead of forcing him away like she had earlier, she walked closer, pushing his shoulder down with her palm.

            His crestfallen look soon turned to confusion as he followed her direction, not speaking a word. It all melted away into excitement when Annie lifted the hem of her dress to climb on top of him, straddling his body with her knees on either side of his hips. She could feel the tremble in his hands as he placed them back on her hips, and she couldn’t help but smile as she leaned in for another kiss.

            “I hope this is okay,” She pressed her lips against his softly.

            Finnick didn’t bother responding; eagerly taking her lips again and pulling her body flush against his. The solid feel of his body made her fingers twitch, itching to explore underneath his shirt. She settled for resting a hand against his hip, pushing the fabric up slightly to feel his warm skin on her palm. The other was threaded through the wavy hair above his ear as she opened her mouth further to his kiss.

            As his tongue danced with hers, she could feel his fists twisting her dress as he struggled to stay calm. His resolve was failing, because Annie could feel the firmness of his erection growing beneath her with each swipe of her tongue against his.

            Seeing him this way, unraveling and off guard, emboldened her. Pushing aside the growing feeling that she should stop before it went too far, she pulled her lips from his and began kissing across his jaw.

            When she reached the spot directly underneath his earlobe, Finnick sucked in sharply, the air whistling through his clenched teeth. His abs tightened beneath her and his hips pressed up against her core, eliciting a soft squeak from her throat.

            As she trailed lower towards his collarbone, she realized that she wasn’t receiving the same reaction. Instead of going any farther, she returned to his ear, nipping at the sensitive skin just below it.

            Again, his hands tightened against her and he stifled a groan. “Annie…” His voice was pleading.

            She pulled back, sitting up enough to look at him. Tilting her head to the side, she smiled. “That’s interesting.”

            Finnick narrowed his eyes at her. “Oh, no; that’s not a good idea.”

            She blinked slowly, challenging him.

            “You’re not going to listen to me, are you?”

            Shaking her head, she eyed the spot she knew would drive him crazy. Finnick groaned, covering his face with his hands. From what she could tell, he was probably the type to lead the girl, controlling what did or didn’t happen. He was visibly struggling not to take her like he had that morning in his kitchen.

            She couldn’t have that, though; she liked keeping him on his toes. The look of awe in his eyes and the nervous tap of his fingers whenever she looked at him was enough to satisfy any questions she had of his desires.

            Delving back down to his neck, she planted her lips against the spot while pressing her hips firmly down, rolling herself against his hardness. Finnick’s hips bucked hard in response, and he lost his composure.

            “Annie,” Her name tumbled from his lips like a melody, chanting it as she teased him. Finally, he forced her lips back to his, kissing her intensely. His hands found their way to her thighs, grasping her tightly before snaking up underneath the fabric of her dress.

            The feel of his hands against her bare skin sent a flurry of emotions through her; anxiety mixed with excitement bubbled up in her stomach. She focused on the exhilaration, threading her fingers under his shirt to feel his chest.

            Suddenly Finnick sat up, shifting his hands to support her back, but never breaking their kiss. As soon as he had her chest pressed against his, he lightly grazed the underside of her thighs with his fingertips until she realized what he wanted. She pulled away, her breathing heavy, and leaned back enough to reposition her legs around his waist.

            As she was doing so, she felt Finnick push her cardigan from her shoulders, exposing the skin to the cool air. She shivered, the warmth of his body pressed tightly against hers was a vast change from the cool air from the overhead fan sweeping across her back. Once she had shrugged the sweater off completely, she tugged upwards on his shirt, suddenly desperate to see him as she had earlier.

            He followed her direction, quickly pulling it over his head and tossing it over his shoulder. The sat motionless for a moment, both of their breathing labored with excitement as they took each other in. His eyes were wild with want, drinking in every inch of her skin, although she was still covered by her dress.

            Annie was filled with a strange, foreign feeling. Usually she shied away from things like this, preferring to stay hidden from most gazes. But something was different in the way Finnick looked at her; his emotions were clearly on display for her, a combination of curiosity and desire that she knew he didn’t even grasp fully.

            She could only assume that she held the same look.

            Finnick couldn’t hold back any longer, pulling her towards him to reunite their lips. He worked them against hers softly, coaxing her back into the fevered rhythm. Annie could feel her core aching, growing wetter with every swipe of his tongue against her lips and teeth. He teased her, leading this kiss and pressing her tightly against himself as his hands roamed her body.

            He explored her curves, pulling her hips into his before clutching the skirt of her dress in his fists, which was now pooled around her waist. The thin fabric of her panties left little to the imagination as she ground herself against him; his erection clearly defined through the shorts he wore.  

            She felt desperate for him, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck and torso as she moved against him. Soft moans escaped her throat, muffled by their kiss, which only seemed to encourage Finnick more.

            Their movements became frenzied, both growing more aroused as they gave in to themselves.

            Suddenly, they froze as the front door was forcefully opened and slammed shut. From down the short hall, shouting began as someone approached.

            “Finnick, you _ass!_ You didn’t come to Bio today and I had to do that shitty lab _by myself! WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?”_

Annie’s body began filling with a feeling she knew all too well, cold dread taking over immediately. The voice sounded familiar, but the shouting- the loud noise that had always been followed by physical pain- caused the memories of her beatings to pass before her eyes.

            “Finnick! I swear to god if you’re in bed hung over on a Monday afternoon, I’m going to kick your ass!”

            She could feel her body trembling, quickly escalating to a violent shake as she quickly covered her ears in an attempt to muffle the sound. From the corner of her eye someone walked into the living room, Marvel, she remembered his face, and she scurried off Finnick as quickly as she could.

            Annie fell to the floor ungracefully, ignoring the twinge of pain in her joints as she struggled to get as far away as she could. Even though his yelling had died in his throat as he entered the room to see what was going on, she couldn’t stop the anxiety.

            She knew she was hurtling quickly towards a panic attack, but her pills were in her car.

            _Too far away…_

            Images flashed in her memory; her stepfather shouting at her that she was worthless, that she would be better off dead, that he wished he hadn’t found a woman with such a useless child.

            Those words still haunted her mind, even more so than the phantom pains she felt. Her nerves were on fire, mimicking the real pain she had endured when he beat her torso with his fists; or her legs, like when he slammed a crowbar into her thighs, leaving ugly black bruises that lasted for weeks.

The pain was almost as real as it was the day she had received it, even though her therapist had told her repeatedly that it was all in her head.

            She curled into a ball, tucking her forehead towards her knees and pulling her elbows in to her body as she began to rock back and forth. Although her fingers were plugged firmly in her ears, she could still hear the muffled sounds of their exchange.

            “Oh god, Finnick, I had no idea-“ Marvel tried to apologize.

            “ _Get out_! Go!” Finnick yelled at his friend, rushing to Annie’s side. He immediately wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his body tightly. “I’ll call you later,” she heard him say.

            Silence followed, only broken by the sound of her heartbeat pounding in her ears. Finnick didn’t remove his arms or ask if she was okay; he simply held her. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! For anyone interested, you can follow me on twitter by @ambpersand and on tumblr under amber-guesa.


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